How the Junction retail strip differs in built form in all but two other 19 century built strips in the city.

By junctioneerOn April 18, 2016In The JunctionWith Comments Off on How the Junction retail strip differs in built form in all but two other 19 century built strips in the city.Permalink

The Junction retail strip is composed of many two story buildings and often with some form of ornamental facade treatment. At Keele St. and Dundas St. W. there are four monumental buildings on each corner. Even the magnificent Parkdale retail strip does not have such a corner.

Looking down Dundas St. W from Heinzmann Avenue, you can see the mighty historical history of the strip, Take a walk down to Pacific Ave. and a look at the building on the south east corner, You can see again the power of the Junctions past.

In the present on Dundas St W. on the south side just east of Keele St. there sits the old Sanders Furniture building, now wonderfully restored and used by the Channel Zero people.

Parkdale can claim longer and more diverse 2 and 3 story buildings but lacks monumental historic buildings. The Gladstone and Drake hotels are impressive historic buildings.

Having been photographing Toronto’s retail strips for the past few months an idea was steeping in my mind, Even today the section claimed by the Eglinton Ave Rail project near Bayview Ave., the idea solidified.

Here is an image taken today of the Bayview Ave. strip (Leaside). You can see the simple two story block buildings that make up this strip with very little ornamental facades, and no defining buildings.

The Junction is lucky and should remembered by the community members who protected the great buildings in the Junction.